Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Programme Strategy for Promoting Research & Innovation in Egypt A Programme of the Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research funded by the European Union برنامج تابع لوزارة التعليم العالى و البحث العلمى ممول من اإلتحاد األوروبى
Contents Facts and figures about Egypt The RDI Programme The impediments to promoting Research and Innovation in the business sector
Egypt s Competitiveness 2010-2011 Based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) WEF 2010 Egypt ranked 81 out of 139 countries
Egypt s Ranking on Innovation Based on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI) USA at the top. Egypt comes behind countries such as KSA, Tunisia, O man, Turkey, Q atar, Jordan & UAE. WEF 2010 Egypt ranked 83 out of 139 countries
Expenditure on R&D as % of GDP (%) GERD : GDP GDP 0.28 (Billion EGP*) 950 0.27 0.27 896.5 900 850 0.26 0.26 800 GERD : GDP 0.25 0.24 0.23 0.25 617.7 744.8 0.23 0.24 750 700 650 600 GD DP 0.22 0.21 485.3 538.5 2003/2004 2004/2005 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 550 500 450 * 1 EGP 0.13 EUR
Background The Research, Development and Innovation Agreement was signed in June 2007 between the European Commission and the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
The RDI Programme Objectives Improving the Egyptian Research, Development and Innovation Performance through: 1. Strengthening the link between Research and Development (R&D) sector and the industry while enhancing the innovation and technology transfer culture 2. Facilitating Egyptian Participation in the European Research Area Researchers RDI Programme Industry
The RDI Strategy to promoter Research & Innovation 1. Support the development of collaborative R&D projects between academia and industry (without claim any IPR) 2. Provide capacity building for researchers to engage in European research projects 3. Award frontier researchers and inventors 4. Promote the culture of innovation 5. Assess the current status of R&D and recommend best practices
RDI Programme Components 1. The EU Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) 2. The Research, Development and Innovation Network (RDIN) 3. Policies for Monitoring and Evaluating R&D Projects, Programme and Institutions (M&E)
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) EEIF (6.8M Euros) is the main component of the RDI Programme aiming at supporting the Innovation Cycle from Research to Business Application through Competitive Grants. 1. The Fund supports and enhance Egyptian European Partnership to enable technology transfer and innovation. 2. The Fund supports cross-cuttingcutting initiated and run in collaboration Industrial and Research sectors projects between
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) The EEIF provides Competitive Grants to innovative projects through: Grant Scheme 1 of 100 000 500 000 Total Amount of Grants: 6 000 000 Grant Scheme 2 of 10 000 25 000 Total Amount of Grants: 800 000
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Total = 719 406 Submitted propsals (Scheme 1) 313 22 29 Granted Submitted Propsals (Scheme 2) Granted
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) Funded Projects by Applicant Type (total = 51) Enterp. 16 31% Gov. Indiv. 4 6 8% 12% Research Cent. 10 20% Univ 15 29%
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF)
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF) European/MEDA Partners (total = 83) Egyptian Partners 57 69% MEDA Partners 2 2% European Partners 24 29%
EU-Egypt Egypt Innovation Fund (EEIF)
EEIF Continued Glimpse of EEIF awarded Projects
Research, Development and Innovation Network (RDIN) The RDIN main objective is to promote, enhance and facilitate the participation of Egyptian Researchers in the European Research Area through: A network of 41 Focal Points (RDIN representatives) at Public Universities, Private Universities and Research Centers. The main role of the Focal Points is to initiate and maintain contact with Egyptian Researchers in order to increase their awareness and enhance their participation in projects and other activities available under the FP7. FP7 is the European s Union main instrument to fund research over the period 2007 2013.
RDIN Continued Glimpse of RDIN activities
Monthly Meetings
Information Days
Capacity Building
FP6 & FP7 Proposals Submitted/Main-listed
Policies for Monitoring and Evaluating R&D Projects, Programme and Institutions (M&E) This Component aims at setting standards for the mobilization of the Egyptian R&D Organizations through: 1.Evaluation and Assessment of processes and methods in use in the Egyptian Ministries and R&D related organization 2.The collection of data on an international basis aiming at identifying best policies and practices which could be relevant for national implementation
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 26 th -28 th January 2010, Cairo Highlights of the Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace are: The Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Exhibition The Euro-Mediterranean Research Forum Kids Pavilion Students Pavilion FameLab Egypt Competition Innovation and
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
Media Workshop 11 th -13 th October 2009 Cairo Building the capacity of Egyptian science journalists in partnership with the British Council
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
FameLab Egypt Competition FameLab Egypt is a science-communicationcommunication competition.
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
FIRST Lego League (FLL) 5 th -6 th March 2010 - Organized by the IEEE The RDI Programme supported the FLL competition which challenges kids (aged 9-16) to think like scientists and engineers.
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
Intel BASEF Competition 10 th -11 th April 2010 Organized by Bibliotheca Alexandrina Winners will present their projects in the Intel International Competition in San Jose, California, USA, on 9-14 May 2010
Promoting the Culture of Science and Innovation The RDI Programme aims at spreading the culture of through organizing initiatives including; science and and supporting innovation various 1. Euro-Mediterranean Innovation Marketplace 2. Media Workshops 3. FameLab Egypt Competition 4. FIRST Lego League 5. Intel BASEF Competition 6. Science Festivity
Science Festivity 31 st of March - 2 nd of April Organized by Bibliotheca Alexandrina It is a fair where schools, universities, as well as NGOs promote the culture of science in an interactive innovative way to the public.
Many Companies started to realize the importance of R&D in order to keep a leading edge in international markets, especially ICT and pharmaceuticals. Internationalization of R&D from a Business perspective Many Egyptian IT companies started to compete in international markets for outsourcing contracts. Many international IT companies started to foresee some potential in Egypt s IT human resources (e.g. Google, Microsoft, Orange, IBM, Ora cle, etc.) Egypt-IBM Nanotechnology Research Center: Provide R&D in nanotechnology that contributes to a range of priority fields in Egypt, such as solar energy and desalination. Millions $ High Tecnology Exports in $ 100 80 60 40 20 0 4.88 85.09 38.16 41.18 7.51 18.06 2.61 Egypt Jordan Oman Qatar 2007 2008 0.28 High technology exports in 2007, 2008
Many Internationalization Companies were encouraged of R&D from to a spend Business on R&D perspective R&D funding agencies managed to derive the industry R&D expenditure from the co-finance of funded projects. For example: EEIF, 10% of 6.8M x 31% 211,000 IMC, funded 141 projects, with 25M. The industry paid 2.5 M Nevertheless, we don t yet have any statistical information on the industrial expenditure on R&D. This is merely due to inexistence of tax exemptions system for companies doing R&D It is still difficult to quantify R&D expenditure in many companies Funded Projects by Applicant Type (total = 51) Enterp. 16 31% Gov. 4 8% Research Cent. 10 20% Indiv. 6 12% Univ 15 29% Companies received funding from EEIF for R&D
Internationalization SMEs/enterprises are of becoming R&D from more a and Business more interested perspective in R&D The number of companies applying for R&D grants is increasing Companies are getting more involved in demand-driven research, especially in international R&D projects that serves national/industrial needs Companies benefited from the EEIF funds
Enterprises that made use of intellectual property rights in 2009 (N= 487) Grant a licence on any intellectual property right resulting from innovation 8.9% Claim copyright 6.9% 36.8% Register a trademark Register an industrial design 18.6% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
The challenges facing the promotion of R&D and Innovation in the business sector. For obvious reason: No tax exemption or any other sort of financial incentives No legislation yet for spin-off companies The benefits of R&D are not fully envisaged by the business sector (lack of knowledge, bias against academics, time and cost Vs. copying, etc.) No enforcement of IP laws Very few ILOs / TTOs in the research community Lack of standardization and quality control procedures
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